Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 57 Part 1.djvu/595

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PUBLIC LAWS-CH. 287--OCT. 27, 1943 [CHAPTER 287] October 27, 1943 ACT [H. R. 3223] To provide for reimbursement of officers, enlisted men, and others, in the naval [Public Law 176] service of the United States for property lost, damaged, or destroyed in such service. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Reimbursement for United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary personal property of the Navy and, subject to appeal to the Secretary of the Navy, such other officer or officers as he may designate for such purposes and under such regulations as he may prescribe, are hereby authorized to consider, and to ascertain, adjust, determine, and pay any claim filed under oath of the commissioned, appointed, enrolled, and enlisted personnel of the Navy and Marine Corps, and of the Coast Guard when operating as a part of the Navy, and of civilian employees of the Naval Establishment, for loss, damage, or destruction of their private personal property occurring on or after December 7, 1941, when such loss, damage, or destruction is not due to fault or negligence on the part of the claimant and has occurred or shall hereafter occur Circumstances. under the following circumstances: arte or aircraft First. When the loss, damage, or destruction is due to operations of war, shipwreck, or other marine disaster, or the wreck of an air- craft or other disaster thereto: Provided, That the term "marine disaster" as used herein shall include an accident occurring on board a vessel. Saving of lfe or Second. When the loss, damage, or destruction is in consequence of the serviceman or employee having given his attention to the saving of the life of another, or of property belonging to the United States. dehipment under or- Third. When such property is lost, damaged, or destroyed by reason of being shipped on board an unseaworthy vessel by order of an officer authorized to give such order or direct such shipment; or is lost, damaged, or destroyed, whether or not due to negligence on the part of Government personnel, while in shipment pursuant to orders issued by competent authority, but where the property was trans- ported by a common carrier, the reimbursement shall be limited to the extent of such loss, damage, or destruction over and above the amount recoverable from such carrier. gentmldistr ir- Fourth. Whlle sllch property is lost, damaged, or destroyed by reason of being furnished at the direction of competent authority to another person under conditions of immediate and urgent distress. Prosperty Items re- Reimbursement may be made in all such cases for loss, damage, or destruction of such articles as are required to be possessed and used by officers, enlisted men, and others in connection with their service or employment, and such additional items of personal property, in- chlding money or currency, as the Secretary of the Navy shall de- termine to have been reasonably and properly in the place when they were lost, damaged. or destroyed, in consequence of the service or employment in which the serviceman or employee was engaged: Pro- Money or currency. vided. That reimbursement mav be made for loss of money or currency only when such money or currency has been deposited for safe keeping as provided by regulations promulgated by the Secretary of the Navy or as provided by orders of the commanding officer. Replacement or SEC. 2 . The Secretary of the Navy is authorized to reimburse the claimant in kind out of available Government property, or to pay the amount determined to be due on claims under this Act, out of any appropriation available for the purpose. Setoatin not a b SEC. 3. Separation from the naval service or establishment shall not bar the authority to consider, ascertain, adjust, determine, and pay any claim otherwise falling within the provisions of this Act which 582 [57 STAT.